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Former Commonwealth, Olympic silver medalist and World 400 meters hurdles champion Samuel Matete has remained calm despite being snubbed when Government honoured sports personalities during the 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations.
Matete was conspicuously missing from the list of several sports personalities Government honoured with the first ever Special Single Class Golden Jubilee medal for contributing to the development of sports in the country.
“I am not moved. Remember I have been honoured by our Government before. Our late President Levy Mwanawasa gave me a meritorious award and the late President Fredrick Chiluba invited me to State House,” he said.
Matete won a gold medal at the 1991 World Championships and was twice silver medalist at the same event.
“Every Zambian and our Government have knowledge of what I have achieved,” said the three-time World Cup winner.
Matete won a silver medal at the 1996 Olympics and gold at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.
“Personally, I thank Government for honouring our sports men and women,” he said.
ACTING President Edgar Lungu has dissolved the boards and executive directors of PF aligned NGOs appointed by former Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba.
In a press statement released in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Lungu dissolved the boards with immediate effect.
Some of the affected NGOs are Policy Monitoring and Research Centre (PMRC) Research Bureau and the National Project for Poverty Reduction.
Efforts to get further details failed as Mr Lungu’s phone went unanswered and there was no response to text messages forwarded to him.
The Patriotic Front through the Office of the Secretary General formed various non-governmental organisations to help with research, capacity and institutional growth.
“I have with immediate dissolved the boards of and Executive Directors of National Program for Poverty Reduction (NPPR), Policy Monitoring and Research Centre (PMRC), Research Bureau and PF Data Centre,”.
This measure has been taken to strengthen the decision made by His Excellency, Mr. Michael Sata, President of Republic of Zambia, and Party President on August 28th 2014.
Further the Executive Directors to the above listed institutions are requested to report to the Office of the Secretary General at 09:00hrs on Monday 27th October 2014,” Mr Lungu said.
Central Province Minister Obvious Mwaliteta says the PF has become so popular ahead of the 2016 general election such that even he can win the presidency.
Mr. Mwaliteta said the PF has no credible opposition as the current opposition is in disarray.
He said Zambians will only start entertaining the idea of removing the PF in 2026.
He said President Sata will not need to campaign in 2016 as the developmental programmes he has initiated are already campaigning for him.
“2016 is a walk over, PF is so popular such that even myself if I decided to stand on PF, I could win the presidency,” Mr Mwaliteta bragged.
“PF is loved by all and if given a chance I could become President Mwaliteta here in Zambia with little or no campaigning.”
“We have done very well. President will just sit and relax in 2016 because he won’t need to campaign, his good works will campaign for him,” he said.
Mr Mwaliteta said the massive infrastructure works across all the provinces have impressed even staunch members of the opposition.
“Everyone is now saying President Sata should have become President much earlier and Zambia would have changed by now. He is a performer. Just look at the roads and this justifies the decision to transfer the RDA to State House, the results are showing,” he said.
PF Communications officer Brian Hapunda has cautioned party members against disrespecting the existing leadership appoiunted by President Michael Sata.
In an interview yesterday, Mr Hapunda said some frustrated people had taken advantage of the exit of Mr Kabimba as secretary general of the party to cause confusion.
“We will not tolerate anyone against the party. Those that cannot work with the appointed leadership are free to leave,” he said.
Mr Hapunda was commenting on reports by some sections of the media that a split was looming in the ruling PF following some leaders’ wish to form another political party.
He said there were some people in the party who were not happy about the removal of Mr Kabimba and were fueling confusion in the party.
The acting President Edgar Lungu was in charge of the party and should be respected as such.
“I would like to sternly warn our members that there is no negotiation where loyalty is concerned. Respect the leadership and do not accept to be used by selfish players with a selfish interest, We demand total loyalty,” he said.
THE Foundation for Democratic Process, (FODEP) has urged Chisamba Member of Parliament Moses Muteteka to step aside and allow for a by-election in his area following his conviction by the courts.
FODEP executive director Macdonald Chipenzi said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the continued incarceration of Muteteka had continued to deprive the people of Chisamba representation in parliament.
He said the people of Chisamba were in need of representation hence
the need for Muteteka to step aside.
“Currently, there are no benefits for him as an MP for the area and there is no benefit for the people of Chisamba so it will be in the interest of the people if he steps aside,”
“As leaders we should reach a point where your if your relevance is no longer there, you step aside,” Mr Chipenzi said.
The Lusaka High Court on Thursday upheld the five-year jail sentence slapped on Muteteka for stealing a motor vehicle belonging to his constituency.
Muteteka was in January last year convicted and sentenced by Lusaka Principal magistrate Aridah Chulu for stealing a Mitsubishi Fuso light truck valued at K75,000 belonging to Chibombo District Council in Chisamba Constituency.
He registered the vehicle, ABX 3529, in his name but defended this move by saying the people in his constituency had petitioned him to use his personal vehicle because it was more convenient than their constituency vehicle.
But Judge Betty Mung’omba said that there was no vehicle which the former local government deputy minister swapped as he claimed because both vehicles were registered in his names and were under his custody.
It was wrong for Muteteka to deprive the people of Chibombo of the motor vehicle which was bought using Government money under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Ms Justice Mung’omba said that Muteteka’s defence that he had swapped the motor vehicles because people in his constituency had petitioned him to do so, was unfounded and unsubstantiated.
Transport Minister Yamfwa Mukanga has revealed that Government has not abandoned plans to re-establish a national airline.
The PF Government missed its October 24 2014 deadline to unveil a new national flag carrier.
But Mr Mukanga said the plans are still on the table and that Government will at the right time release the details of the national airline and how it will operate.
“We have not abandoned those plans. If anything, we are progressing well. The process seems slow because we had to do a fresh Cabinet Memo so that we could get approval to proceed but we are still waiting for that item to come to Cabinet,” Mr Mukanga explained.
He added, “What happened is that the first Cab Memo needed to be revised, there were certain areas where we needed to work on and now we have done a second Cab Memo and we are waiting for a decision.”
Mr Mukanga said the PF Government is determined to ensure that a national flag carrier takes off to the skies as soon as possible.
He said Government has looked at various financing options and is still open to possibilities of partnerships with credible institutions to launch the airline.
Nkana punished hosts Power Dynamos to maintain their two year supremacy over their archrivals in the Kitwe derby.
Both of Nkana’s goals came in the last 15 minutes of the second half courtesy of goals from Derrick Mwansa and Ronald Kampamba.
All indicators pointed to Power getting a win but the hosts were blunt in an attack led by Alex Ngonga and Jimmy Ndhlovu.
It was more agonising for Power who missed a 15th minute penalty when Rabson Muchelenganga denied Kennedy Mudenda from the spot.
Nkana took the lead in the 70th minute through Derrick Mwansa who slotted in the ball from close range after Joshua Titima dropped Francis Simwanza corner kick.
Kampamba added to Power’s woes in the 78th minute when he left defenders Billy Mutale and Alex Mwamba in his wake to complete a dramatic away win over Power.
His goal came 24 hours after scoring and playing the full 90 minutes for Zambia in a 1-1 home draw with Cote d’Ivoire in Lusaka.
Meanwhile, Power’s consolation came in the 88th minute when Govender Simwala smashed in a long-range shot to see the hosts still without a win over Nkana since October 2012.
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Government has declared Wednesday 29th October, 2014 a day of national mourning in honor of the 26 lives from Henga Community School of Gwembe who died on Friday.
Acting President Edgar Lungu has told media News in a statement that on Wednesday, all flags will fly at half-mast.
Mr. Lungu says he has directed Secretary to the Cabinet to organize a national church service to be held on the day of national mourning, at the cathedral of the Holy Cross in honor of the departed souls.
Mr. Lungu says the departed ones died while attempting to attend to a significant, lifetime and historic national event.
He says government has also pledged to ensure that all bodies are retrieved, recovered and buried in a descent manner.
He furthermore adds that government will also meet all costs associated with the funeral.
The Acting President has also directed Minister of Works, Transport, and Communications Yamfwa Mukanga to hasten government plans to invest in safe water transport vessels to minimize unnecessary loss of lives.
Mr. Lungu, who is also PF Secretary General, has reminded the electronic media to play solemn music from 06hrs to 18hrs on the day of national mourning and that all programmes of entertainment nature should be suspended.
Meanwhile,a combined team of divers from Zambia police and Zambia army have recovered 17 out of 26 bodies of people, mostly pupils who drowned in lake Kariba on Friday after the boat they were on capsized.
Police acting public relations officer, Esther Katongo said that the search for bodies on Lake Kariba by a combined team of divers from Zambia Police and Zambia Army had continued and was progressing well.
As of yesterday morning, the total number of bodies recovered had come to 17, and that included the three bodies that were recovered on Saturday and relatives had been able to identify the bodies.
“As it stands, we are only remaining with nine bodies to be recovered,” Ms Katongo said.
Updates will be given to the nation as the search progresses.
The police urged the general public to remain calm as everything was being done to have all the bodies recovered.
Chipolopolo coach Honour Janza is impressed with the performance of local players in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Ivory Coast in a friendly match played at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.
Nkana striker Ronald “Sate Sate “Kampamba scored for Zambia before Ousmane Qattara equalised for Ivory Coast in the second half in a game
played to celebrate Zambia’s Golden Jubilee.
In a post-match interview, Janza said he was satisfied with the performance of the home based national team players.
The coach indicated that he will include more local players in the squad to face Mozambique in the next Africa Cup qualifier to be played
on 15 November in Maputo.
“The boys played to our plan, I think our local boys are doing fine and we have hope in them,” Janza said.
“I am satisfied with the way the boys are doing. If you have seen in the past two games we have been including more than eight local players,” he said.
Janza told journalists in Lusaka that the future of Zambian football was bright as evidenced by the performance of local players.
Christopher Katongo put his Zambia banishment behind him with a goal for Bidvest Wits on Saturday.
Katongo scored Its lone goal in their 2-1 home loss to SuperSport united in the 2014/2015 Telkom Cup quarterfinals
The Zambia striker equalised in the 12th minute and almost added a brace in the 19th minute but his effort came off the woodwork.
The goal was his first competitive goal for the clubs since joining them on a free transfer after leaving Chinese club Henan Jianye.
Katongo started and completed the match.
The striker was recently expelled from Zambia camp prior the teams 2015 Africa Cup Group F home qualifier against Niger on October 15 in Ndola due to tactical differences with coach Honour Janza.
South Africa has paid glowing tribute to Zambia for the role she played in assisting liberation movements in Southern Africa.
South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Energy and Ambassador ,Thembisile Majola, described Zambia’s contribution to the liberation of Southern African countries as legendary.
Ambassador Majola said Zambia was home to many liberation movements waging wars of liberation against colonial domination in the Southern African region and that Zambia did this at a time when she just gained her independence and still vulnerable.
This is according to a statement availed to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Press Secretary at High Commission of Zambia In South Africa Nicky Shabolyo.
Ms Majola said this in Pretoria on Friday night at celebrations to mark Zambia’s Golden Jubilee of independence.
She said South Africa appreciates and holds in high esteem the excellent bonds of friendship and the warm fraternal relations which were forged in struggle with the Government and the people of Zambia.
Ms Majola bemoaned the current trade imbalance between Zambia and South Africa, which she said favored the latter and that the challenge was to ensure that this was addressed.
She noted that Trade for the period of January to August 2014 was at 18.6 billion South African rands worth of goods exported by South Africa to Zambia, while Zambia exported goods worth a 2.1 billion rand which she said has made Zambia one of South Africa’s top three trading partners in Africa.
Ambassador Majola pointed out that this owed to among others economic interaction and legislative environment and regulatory framework that the two Governments have put in place in their efforts to enhance development.
She noted that South African companies have continued to participate in Zambia’s main annual trade shows to promote trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.
The Deputy Minister observed that Zambia and South Africa have been proponents of regional integration with particular emphasis on the North-South Corridor which is envisaged to facilitate trade and physical interconnectivity with mining, agriculture and tourism as well as movement of people once implemented.
Meanwhile, Zambia has pledged to support all efforts required to contain Ebola in order to restore normality in the economic and social lives of people in countries affected by the disease in West Africa.
Speaking to South African Government officials, diplomats, business community and cooperating partners who attended the celebrations, Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Muyeba Chikonde said Zambia viewed the disease as a common challenge to humanity and that there was need to scale-up efforts to contain it
.
Mr. Chikonde said there was need to increase the African voice and effort as this disease knows no boundaries, race or tribe and could easily be in the neighborhoods.
He said the problem required a concerted global approach and that Africa should be seen to take the lead in the fight as the continent could not afford a reversal of the rapid economic growth it was currently experiencing.
And Mr. Chikonde said Zambia’s 50 years of independence celebrations this year coincided with South Africa’s attainment of 20 years of democratic rule, making it a significant year for both countries to reflect on how strong the bond between the two countries was.
He said the shared history reflected a people that had collectively lived together dating back well beyond liberation times.
Mr. Muyeba further noted that it was yet again not surprising that shortly after being inaugurated as Zambia’s fifth head of State; President Michael Sata’s first official trip outside Zambia was to South Africa to support the African National Congress’ centenary celebrations.
He said the two countries have a number of bilateral agreements covering trade and industrial development, agriculture and animal husbandry, geology, mining and mineral beneficiation, energy, health and defense.
Mr. Chikonde hoped that the Golden Jubilee will provide an opportunity for the people of Zambia to embrace patriotism and reflect on where they were coming from and where they wanted to go.
He said that the evidence is there for all to see that Zambia is going through an unprecedented record of transformation and urged Zambians to continue to be united in diversity, live in peace and actively participate in the development process taking place.
Mr. Chikonde also urged Zambians to actively participate in public consultation and consensus building in the constitution making process following Government’s release of the draft constitution on Thursday.
Government has directed Kafue district council to allocate plots to the 13 freedom fighters who were honored during the 50th Golden Jubilee independence celebrations.
Kafue member of Parliament ,Obvious Mwaliteta says the role played by the gallant men and women during the struggle of independence cannot go unrewarded.
Mr. Mwaliteta has since commended the district administration for recognizing the freedom fighters in the district.
ZANIS reports that the area member of parliament said this at the 50th jubilee independence celebrations in Kafue district, yesterday.
He further assured the communities in the district of government’s commitment to ensure that the peace that the fore fathers fought for is safeguarded.
Representing the Jubilee babies, Pastor John Engaenga has commended government for recognizing and honoring the freedom fighters .
Pastor Engaenga said most of the freedom fighters especially those in rural areas are struggling to earn a living.
Government has expressed shock at the death of twenty six people comprising of pupils and teachers from Henga School in Gwembe have perished after their boat capsized on Lake Kariba in Gwembe district on Thursday night.
Government has since dispatched Zambia army and Zambia police divers to Lake Kariba to help retrieve the bodies.
Chief Government Spokesperson Joseph Katema has told QFM News in a statement that the death of the 26 people most of them youths is difficult to bear.
Dr Katema says government is even more disturbed that the pupils and their teachers were travelling to be part of the jubilee celebrations at a school across the lake.
Dr. Katema says the death of the pupils is disheartening more because they were travelling for a noble and national cause.
Chief Government Spokesperson has since described the deceased as “true heroes” of the land.
Dr Katema says the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) under the Office of the Vice President has also dispatched officers to Gwembe including coordinator Patrick Kangwa.
He says Government is putting in all measures to ensure that all bodies are retrieved.
Meanwhile, the opposition Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) youths have learnt the death of the people in Gwembe with sadness.
MMD Die Hard National Youth Coordinator Bowman Lusambo has told QFM News that the hearts of the MMD members go out to the families of victims of the Lake Kariba disaster.
Mr. Lusambo says it is the prayer of the people of Zambia that God will comfort their families and strengthen their faith as they mourn the departed young souls.
Multi party Democracy (MMD) Die Hard National Youth Coordinator Bowman Lusambo has appealed to former Republican President Rupiah Banda to remain in retirement and contribute to strengthening the country’s democratic credentials.
In a statement released to the media, Mr Lusambo said that Mr. Banda should channel his support towards helping Nevers Mumba ascend to the presidency in the same manner he was helped to become Head of State.
Mr. Lusambo says the nation should be reminded that Mr. Banda was helped to become Head of State from his humble farm life in Eastern province.
Mr. Lusambo states that the entire MMD machinery rallied behind Mr. Banda until 2011 when he lost the election to the Patriotic Front (PF).
He says it is for this reason that Mr. Banda should rally behind Dr Mumba’s desire and efforts to win the presidency in 2016.
Below is the full statement
Press Statement for immediate release
As MMD youths, we wish to join the rest of the nation in celebrating the country’s Golden Jubilee anniversary. We further commend all Zambians across the ten provinces for commemorating this important milestone in a peaceful manner. Our hearts go out to the families of victims of the Lake Kariba disaster who died on their way to celebrate Jubilee. It is our prayer that the Almighty God will comfort their families and strengthen their faith as they mourn the departed young souls.
It is clear that Zambia has achieved a lot in the last 50 years. Our forefathers laid a strong foundation after attaining political liberation. They put down their lives for the greater good of the nation. They also fought hard to guarantee democratic freedoms and put the country on a clear path towards economic development through economic liberalization.
As youths of this great nation, we now have a duty to attain economic emancipation. As Zambia moves towards its centenary, we should stand and be counted as a generation that fought to reduce poverty, restore national pride and patriotism.
Attending and watching the Golden Jubilee celebrations brought a sense of joy and pride. It reinforced our common beliefs and shared aspirations as a people. It was pleasing to see our Former Presidents walking and embracing each other as they supported the Acting President Hon. Mr. Edgar Lungu in his duties.
It was also refreshing to see Former Presidents and retired Presidents from some of our neighbouring countries turn out to celebrate with us on this momentous occasion.
The Former leaders offered a great lesson to some of our very own retired politicians on how to live life after politics. Looking at Former Presidents Mogae, Mbeki and Muluzi, we are left thinking that Former President Rupiah Banda who is harbouring intentions of bouncing back to active politics should emulate these gallant Former leaders.
The lesson for Mr Banda provided by these Former Presidents is that there is life beyond active politics. Presidents Mogae, Muluzi and Mbeki demonstrated that one can still be useful even as a Former Head of State.
We therefore appeal to Mr Banda to remain in retirement and contribute to strengthening the country’s democratic credentials.
We also appeal to President Banda to channel his support to helping Dr Nevers Mumba ascend to the presidency in the same manner he was helped to become Head of State.
The nation should be reminded that Mr Banda was helped to become Head of State from his humble farm life in Eastern province. The entire MMD machinery rallied behind Mr Banda until 2011 when he lost the election to the Patriotic Front.
It is our humble appeal that he also rallies behind Dr Mumba’s desire and efforts to win the presidency in 2016.
As MMD youths, we strongly advise the Office of the Fourth Republican President to state its position on the issue of him returning to active politics. Mr Banda cannot be allowed to continue standing by the fence as this issue gains more ground. He owes it to the MMD and the entire nation to state his position.
In this vein, we are issuing a 14 day ultimatum to his office to state whether President Banda is returning to politics. Failure to state his position within 14 days will force us to draw some conclusions that he is indeed interested in returning to politics. At that stage, we will not treat him as a Former President but as a political opponent and we shall take him on.
We also wish to advise the MMD’s rank and file to drop the use of party regalia bearing Mr Banda’s face. By continuing to wear Mr Banda’s regalia, we are not helping to market Dr Mumba as a future President of Zambia. There is nothing to gain by continuing to put on RB’s regalia. The practice just goes to aid the confusion in the party.
The history of the MMD shows that we have always changed our regalia whenever there is a change in the party’s leadership. We dropped the use of late FTJ’s regalia when Levy was brought in as our leader. We also dropped the use of his regalia when Mr Banda ascended to the leadership of our party.
It therefore follows that dropping the use of Mr Banda’s regalia should not be a problem because he is no longer the leader of our great party but an ordinary member like all of us who subscribe to Dr Mumba’s great leadership and if any of us including Mr Banda goes against the united spirit of the MMD and want to work against Dr Mumba, we risk expulsion.
Issued by: Bowman Lusambo: MMD Die Hard National Youth Coordinator
© Lusaka Times
